Strand treating manifold



1 1951 P. L.PENDLETON 2,538,628

STRAND TREATING MANIFOLD Filed June 30, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l fizzlezzfnf: P/am L. Pendle f r;

Jan. 16, 1951 P. 1.. PENDLETON STRAND TREATING MANIFOLD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 30, 1948 Patented Jan. 16, 1951 V UNITED STATES STRAN TREATING MANIFOLD Pyam L. Pendleton, Edgewood, R. L, assignor to Hampton Machine Company, a corporation of Rhode Island Application June 30, 1948, Serial No. 35,999

13 Claims. (Cl. 68- 43) 1 This invention relates to the liquid treatment of filamentary materials and is more particularly concerned with a manifold in which a moving strand of textile fibres or the like may be alter- .nately subjected to the action of fluid pressure jets and squeeze rolls, the combined action serving to expedite a treatment such as a washing operation. This application is a continuation in part of my co-pending application Serial No.

2,947, filed January 17, 1948.

An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for subjecting a moving textile strand to a series of fluid-impregnating or flushing operations by pressure jets and to an alternate series of squeeze roll pressures in a structure where the multiple series action may occur in a short yarn traverse.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the class described which will pass knots and slubs in a strand without causing breakage and which may be readily threaded.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the class described in which a ratio of pressures between treating jets and squeeze rolls may be established and thereafter caused to vary to suit the requirements of treatments by a single fluid control.-

A principal feature of the invention is the use of a divided fluid stream to produce a pressure jet and a squeeze roll pressure.

Another feature of the invention is the use of a fluid stream to produce pressure on a strand passing between a pair of squeeze rolls and to reduce the frictional drag of the rolls on a roll housing to a point where traction on the strand will cause the rolls to rotate.

Another feature of the invention is the use of a number of small paired squeeze roll pressures to achieve a total requirement of roll pressure on a strand with the increment of unit pair pressure small enough so that a series of paired rolls may be readily and successively forced apart b the passage of a knot or slub without causing breakage in a strand.

Another feature of the invention is the use of a a number of fluid jets and paired squeeze rolls in closely proximate series combination to treat a strand, the resultant multipl city of differing stresses on the yarn section serving to stimulate a rapidly pulsating flow of fluidparticles in the plane of the section which is highly de irable in encourag ng a maximum fluid exchange in a strand which in a washing treatment is rapidly traversi g a minimum treating zone.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is 2 shown in the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts in the several views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view partly in section and with portions broken away of the novel fluid treating structure of the invention; and

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same.

Referring to the drawings, there is. shown a pan shaped container Iil with interior bosses l2 and having ducts I4 connected by ducts IT to a supply pipe leading from a source of treating fluid under pressure (not shown). The bosses 52 are recessed, as at It, to retain mating paired rolls 2i and a series of ports 22 is provided to permit fluid in the ducts It to enter the recesses 18 and exert a component of pressure against the rolls which is transmitted by the rolls to a yarn strand 24 passing between them. The strand 24 enters and leaves the container it through the slots 25 and is positioned by the guides 28 and external guides (not shown).

Grooves so are provided in the recesses I 8 leadgrooves 30 tends to set up a fluid film between each roll and the corresponding side of the recess to reduce materially frictional engagement between the roll and the recess side. Components of pressure from the fluid source are therefore used to press the rolls against the.

strand and to ass st their rotation by reducing roll friction, an important feature of the invention.

In addition to providing a roll pressure and a roll friction reducing film, fluid entering the recesses l3 through the ports 22 and flowing through the grooves so is discharged against the strand as jets at points 35 for treating purposes. The squeeze rolls 2! are provided with enough clearance in the recesses is to permit free rotation, but this clearance is limited so that, except for minor leakage around the rolls, the majority of the fluid passing through theports 22 continues throughthe grooves 3!! to create a jet pressure on the strand as described. 7

Removable cover plates 36 serve to retain the rolls 2% and provide access to the device for cleaning or repairs. Sufiicient depth is provided in the recesses I8 so thatthe rolls may be re ily moved back for threading up the strand into Operating position with the fluid shut oil and the increment of fluid pressure utilized to produce a mating pressure between the rolls is kept sufliciently low by proper design of the ports and grooves so that the passage of a knot or slub in the strand will cause the rolls to retract in series without breakage ensuing. As an example, it is possible to design a device operating from a line pressure of 50 p. s, i. in which a series of jets discharge at a pressure of 40-45 lbs. against a strand, in alternation with mating roll pressures of 5-10 ounces on each individual roll axis and in which traction on the strand is-on the order of one pound. If the ports 22 are located to one side of a line passing through the axes of the roll pairs so that the pressure from the :jet approaches a tangent, the mating roll pressure will be lessened.

, Additional ports 33 are provided by means of which fluid pressure jets may be directed against the strand without reference to the rolls. The purpose of the rolls is to isolate and emphasize the individual jet action. If a strand passes through a series of jets alone the fluid applied by the first jet may cling to the yarn and pass along with the strandto interfere with the action of a second jet, and so forth. 'Where the jets are alternated with roll pressure the rolls tend to Strip off the greater part of the individual jet deposit before the yarn passes to the next jet. 1

' and thereafter may be regulated by any common fluid control means.

It is to be understood that balls ma be substituted for rollers or that the rollers may have shapes other than cylindrical without departing from the spirit of th invention, also that where it is desired to use a relatively heavy squeeze pressure the rolls may be suspended in slidable or movable bearings and rotated by conventional power means without departing from the spirit 7 and scope of the invention.

Preferably, in order to minimize any possible disrupting effect on the moving thread or fila- 'ment, the ports 38 and the grooves are disposed to direct mutually opposing balanced streams of fluid, converging on the path of yarn travel.

The sides of the container 10 may be made high enough so that fluid discharged from the ports will be drawn off through a drain 4!! before overflow occurs, the slots 28 being closed oif against excessive leakage by any conventional means such as staggered baliie plates.

The structure described and shown includes the severalfea'tures claimed for the invention and is a means by which the several objects of the invention may be attained, and while there has been herein disclosed a'preferred embodiment of the invention it will be understood that modifications and changes may be made therein within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim: '1. In a device for the fluid treatment of a moving strand, a container adapted to provide a bath of treating fluid, means to draw said strand through said bath, a plurality of jets, squeeze rolls and squeeze roll housings all submerged in said bath, said jets and rolls being arranged along the path of strand travel for alternately emitting streams of fluid under pressure against and squeezing said moving strand, some of said jets and rolls being on "one side of the path of strand travel, and other of said jets and rolls being on the other side of the path of strand travel, said rolls being rotated b their engagement with said strand, at least some of said jets being arranged to emit their streams through-said squeeze roll housings, the corresponding rolls thereof being disposed in part at least in the courses of said last named streams whereby treating fluid will pass between the peripheries of said rolls and their respective housings on the side of the direction of strand travel to form a friction reducing film therebetween.

In a device for fluid treatment or a moving strand having a fluid treating zone through which the strand is moved, a pair of mating 'rotatable squeeze members and housings therefor mounted adjacent said zone, said members being arranged to squeeze "the moving strand, at least one of said housings affording a passageway for treating flu-id entering said zone, the member housed therein being interposed "in said passageway, and a duct arranged to supply treating fluid under pressure to said zone through said passageway, whereby the "squeeze member housed therein will be pressed into yielding engagement with said strand and against its mating member by the pressure of the entering treating fluid.

3. a device for the fluid treatment of a movstrand, a fluid confining member provided a A. treating zone through which said strand is moved, a plurality of jets arranged adjacent said zone along the path of strand travel for emitting streams of fluid under pressure against strand, a plurality of rotatable squeeze members loosely held in mountings adjacent zone in the courses of some of said streams for transverse movement toward and away from said path of strand travel whereby said members will be yieldably pressed against said strand by the pressure of said streams. v

4. In a device for the fluid treatment of a moving strand, a fluid confining member providing a fluid treating zone through which said strand is moved, a plurality of jets arranged adjacent said zone along the path of strand travel for emitting streams of fluid under pressure against said strand, a plurality of mating pairs of rotatable squeeze members loosely mounted in mountings adjacent said zone embracing said path of travel, and held, in part at least, in the courses of said. streams for transverse movement toward and away from said path of strand travel whereby said members will be yieldably pressed against other by the fluid pressure of said st. cams to, squeeze said strand and means for Vin-g the strand through said treatingzone. o. in a devi e for the fluid'treatment of a mov ing strand, a fluid confining member providing a horizontal fluid treating zone through which strand is moved, a plurality of jets arranged adjacent said zone and aligned along the path of strand travel for emitting streams of fluid under pressure against said strand, and a plurality of mating pairs of squeeze rolls loosely held with their axes vertical in mountings adjacent said zone embracing said path of travel, and held, in

part at least, in the courses of some of said streams for transverse movement toward and away from each other whereby the fluid pressure of said streams provides the mating roll pressure for said rolls.

6. In a device for fluid treatment of a continuous moving strand in which the strand is drawn between and rotates pairs of rotatable squeeze members, a pair of squeeze members adapted to engage the strand and be rotated by the passage thereof, a housing loosely mounting one of said members and permitting the periphery thereof to be urged into frictional engagement with said housing when driven by the movement of said strand, and a conduit for direct ing a stream of treating fluid between said member and its housing to provide a lubricating film of fluid therebetween.

7. In a device for fluid treatment of a continuous moving strand in which the strand is drawn between and rotates a series of squeeze rolls, squeeze rolls adapted to engage the strand and be rotated by the passage thereof, housings loosely mounting said rolls and permitting the peripheries thereof to be urged into frictional engagement with said housings when driven by the movement of said strand, and conduits for directing streams of treating fluid between said rolls and said housings to provide lubricating films of fluid therebetween. I

8. In a device for fluid treatment of a continuous moving strand in which the strand is drawn between and rotates a plurality of squeeze rolls, squeeze rolls adapted to squeeze the strand and be rotated by the passage thereof, a housing loosely mounting one of said rolls and permitting the periphery thereof to be urged into frictional engagement with said housing when-driven by the movement of said strand, and a conduit for directing a stream of treating fluid under pressure between said roll and said housing to pro vide a lubricating film of fluid to reduce the friction therebetween and .to press said roll into yielding engagement with another roll.

9. In a device for fluid treatment of a continuous moving strand in which the strand is drawn between and rotates a plurality of squeeze rolls, a series of mating squeeze rolls adapted to engage the strand and be rotated by the passage thereof, housings loosely mounting said rolls and permitting the peripheries thereof to be urged into frictional engagement with said housings when driven by the movement of said strand, and conduits for directing streams of treating fluid under pressure between said rolls and their respective housings to provide lubricating films of fluid to reduce the friction therebetween and to press said rolls into yielding mating engagement.

10. In a device for fluid treatment of a traveling strand, a container adapted to hold a pool of treating fluid through which said strand is passed, squeeze rolls loosely held in housings mounted in said container and rotated by passage of the traveling strand for squeezing the strand, said housings providing passageways around each said roll for. the entry of streams of treating fluid, and ducts supplying treating fluid under pressure to said housings, said housings being so arranged as to permit said rolls to be pressed against the strand by the fluid pressure and said streams forming lubricating films between said rolls and their respective housings on the side of the direction of strand travel.

11. In a device for fluid treatment of a traveling strand, a container adapted to hold a pool of treating fluid through which said strand is passed, interior bosses in said container having a series of recesses with their openings adjacent the path of strand travel and having inlet ports, rotatable squeeze members loosely held in said recesses and engaging said strand through said openings, ducts arranged to supply treating fluid under pressure to said recesses through said inlet ports to press said members into yielding engagement with said strand and to provide lubricating films of fluid between the members and their respective recesses.

12. In a device for fluid treatment of a traveling strand, a fluid confining member providing a closely confined fluid treating zone through which said strand is moved, a plurality of aligned jets submerged in fluid in said zone and arranged longitudinally along the path of travel of said strand to emit opposing streams of fluid against said traveling strand to create a region of relatively heavy fluid pressure therealong, squeeze V rolls loosely held in housingsmounted in said fluid confining member for squeezing the traveling strand, said housings providing passageways around the rolls held therein for the entry of treating'fluid, and ducts supplying treating fluid under pressure to said housings, said housings being so arranged as to permit said rolls to be pressed against the strand by the pressure of the entering fluid.

13. In a device for fluid treatment of a traveling strand, a fluid confining member providing a closely confined fluid treating zone through which said strand is moved, a plurality of aligned jets submerged in fluid in said zone and arranged longitudinally along the path of travel of said strand to emit opposing streams of fluid against said traveling strand to create a region of relatively heavy fluid pressure therealong, squeeze rolls loosely held in housings mounted in said fluid confining member for squeezing the traveling strand, said housings providing passageways around the rolls held therein for the entry of streams of treating fluid, and ducts supplying treating fluid under pressure to said housings, said housings being so arranged as to permit said rolls to be pressed against the strand by the pressure of the entering fluid and said streams forming lubricating films of fluid between said rolls and their respective housings.

PYAM L. PENDLETON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,635,245 Brandli July 12, 1927 1,737,149 Cohoe Nov. 26, 1929 2,332,346 Rowlandson Oct. 19, 1943 2,441,308 Bond May 11, 1948 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,538,628 January 16, 1951 PYAM L. PENDLETON It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 4, line 38, for the word provided read providing;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, so that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice. Signed and sealed this 27th day of February, A. D. 1951.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents. 

